(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a precision hinge apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is a novel apparatus for precision setting and maintaining of hinge angle positions with removable mounting stops.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses devices having the purpose of limiting the swinging motion of a hinge.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,230 to Allen discloses a door check for limiting the degree of open swing permitted by a door hinge. A pair of rectangular metal pieces are connected at a fixed angle to one another and attached to the hinge pintle such that they extend away from the hinge on the side opposite the hinge plates. As the hinged door swings open it reaches the point where the angle of the door to the wall equals the angle between the metal pieces, stopping further swing. The angular relationship between the pieces can be adjusted to change the maximum open swing of the door hinge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,688 to Deininger discloses a door stop that prevents a door from closing. A support hook hangs over the top of a door hinge pintle supporting a horizontal wedge-shaped base that sits between open hinge plates. Door closing is prevented and the minimum open angle is determined by the size of the wedge.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,616,265 to Kroehling discloses a door stop that sits between the hinge plates of a door hinge to prevent complete door closing. A triangularly shaped metal strip fits as a wedge against the door hinge plates with an optional loop in the metal strip provided to secure the stop on the hinge pintle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,596 to Young discloses an orthopedic hinge including stops that limit the range of hinge arm travel. The pivoting motion of a hinge arm relative to stationary front and back plates is obstructed at a certain position by a hinge stop placed in the arm""s pivot path away from the hinge. The stop provides up to two settings for restricting motion.
Unfortunately, such devices are replete with shortcomings which make their teachings unsatisfactory for the purposes of the present invention. These include their inadabtability to precision applications, their failure to restrict swinging motion in two directions and their failure to allow setting of specific hinge positions. The present invention overcomes these and other limitations of the prior art devices.
It is a general purpose and object of the present invention to provide a precision hinge apparatus.
It is another object of the invention to provide an easy, accurate and adjustable way to maintain the fingers of a hinged joint at a fixed angle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hinge allowing accurate and reproducible fixed hinge settings by employing removable angled mounting stops.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a precision hinge useful in small-scale development applications.
These objects and others are accomplished by the present invention which features a hinged joint connecting two bodies and at least one removable mounting stop that sets the angle between the fingers of the hinge. According to the invention, which is especially suited to small-scale applications where graduated hinge markings are impractical, the removable stop is inserted into the hinged joint with its edges abutting the connected bodies such that the angle between the two bodies is fixed. The relative angle between the edges determines the hinge angle.
The precision hinge of the present invention comprises a pair of overlapping fingers, each extending from one of the two connected bodies. A fastener extends through apertures in each of the fingers near their ends to pivotably connect them and their respective bodies. A slotted flat mounting stop fits over the fastener, preferably between the fingers and with its outer edges contacting the connected bodies. Preferably, a plurality of removable stops of various angular dimensions are included allowing the relative angle between the two bodies to be adjusted and set at any angle as desired.